Hi craft-loving parents! Excited to share these animal-themed crafts – perfect for those “I’m bored” moments! These adorable projects fill rainy afternoons and keep little hands busy screen-free. All organized by age for easy choosing.

Toddlers (Ages 2-3)

1. Handprint Farm Animals

Toddler's handprints representing for a fun animal craft.

Materials:

  • Washable paint
  • Construction paper
  • Googly eyes
  • Glue
  • Markers

Instructions:

  1. Paint your little one’s hand with washable paint
  2. Press their hand onto construction paper
  3. Once dry, add googly eyes and use markers to transform the handprint into animals like chickens, cows, or sheep
  4. Help them add details like beaks, ears, or spots

Why it’s great: This sensory craft introduces your little one to different textures while developing fine motor skills. The transformation of their handprint into an animal feels like magic to toddlers!

It’s one of those fun easy crafts for kids simple activities that creates keepsakes you’ll treasure long after tiny hands have grown.

2. Paper Plate Turtles

A paper plate painted in green representing a tuttle as an animal fun craft.

Materials:

  • Paper plates
  • Green paint or crayons
  • Construction paper
  • Scissors (for adult use)
  • Glue

Instructions:

  1. Help your toddler paint or color the paper plate green
  2. Cut out a small green circle for the head and four small rectangles for legs
  3. Let your little one glue these pieces to create their turtle
  4. Add eyes and a smile with markers

Why it’s great: These fun paper crafts for kids help develop color recognition and basic assembly skills. The simple shapes are perfect for toddlers just learning to manipulate glue and identify body parts of animals. Plus, these adorable turtles make great decorations for their bedroom!

Preschoolers (Ages 3-5)

3. Toilet Paper Roll Binoculars

A pair of binoculars made of toilet paper rolls as animal fun crafts.

Materials:

  • Two toilet paper rolls
  • Paint or markers
  • String or yarn
  • Tape or stapler (for adult use)
  • Decorative items (stickers, feathers, etc.)

Instructions:

  1. Paint or color the toilet paper rolls
  2. Once dry, tape or staple the two rolls together side by side
  3. Attach string to make a neck strap
  4. Let your child decorate with animal stickers or drawings
  5. Take them on a “safari” around the house or yard to spot stuffed animals

Why it’s great: This activity combines crafting with imaginative play. While making their binoculars, preschoolers practice color coordination and develop creativity. Once complete, the craft transforms into a tool for pretend play that encourages observation skills and an interest in wildlife.

4. Egg Carton Caterpillars

A caterpillar made of an egg carton painted in green.

Materials:

  • Egg carton cups (cut into strips)
  • Paint
  • Pipe cleaners
  • Googly eyes
  • Glue

Instructions:

  1. Cut egg carton into strips of 4-6 cups
  2. Let your child paint the cups in bright colors
  3. Once dry, help them attach pipe cleaners for antennae
  4. Glue on googly eyes
  5. Optional: punch holes and string together multiple caterpillars

Why it’s great: This fun and easy crafts for kids project teaches color patterns and basic counting. It’s also a wonderful opportunity to talk about caterpillars and butterflies, introducing simple concepts about life cycles and transformation.

Early Elementary (Ages 5-7)

5. Paper Bag Puppets

A paper bag crafted to represent a dog.

Materials:

  • Paper lunch bags
  • Construction paper
  • Markers or crayons
  • Glue
  • Scissors
  • Optional: yarn, buttons, fabric scraps

Instructions:

  1. Place the bag so the flap is at the bottom
  2. Draw or glue features onto the flap to create a mouth that moves
  3. Add eyes above the flap
  4. Cut out ears, horns, or other features from construction paper
  5. Decorate the body of the animal on the bag

Why it’s great: This project boosts storytelling skills while strengthening those little hand muscles they’ll need for writing. Plus, there’s something magical about watching them disappear into their own little puppet world of imagination!

6. Wooden Spoon Bird Puppets

A wooden spoon painted in blue an decorated as a bird puppet for a project of fun animal crafts for kids.

Materials:

  • Wooden spoons
  • Felt or craft foam
  • Googly eyes
  • Feathers
  • Glue
  • Markers
  • Pipe cleaners

Instructions:

  1. Use the spoon bowl as the bird’s face (the handle becomes the neck/body)
  2. Glue on googly eyes
  3. Cut out a small triangle from orange/yellow felt for the beak and glue it on
  4. Cut wing shapes from felt or craft foam and attach to the sides
  5. Glue colorful feathers to the back of the spoon
  6. Optional: add pipe cleaner feet at the bottom of the handle

Why it’s great: The wooden spoon provides a natural grip for small hands, and the finished puppets are sturdy enough for regular play. It’s one of those fun easy crafts for kids that doubles as a toy and helps develop language skills through puppet shows.

7. Clothespin Animals

Clothespins decorated as butterflies.

Materials:

  • Wooden clothespins
  • Paint
  • Construction paper
  • Markers
  • Glue
  • Googly eyes
  • Optional: felt, pipe cleaners

Instructions:

  1. Paint clothespins in animal colors (brown for bears, gray for elephants, etc.)
  2. Cut out paper shapes for ears, tails, wings
  3. Glue these pieces and googly eyes to create animals
  4. Add details with markers
  5. Optional: create a zoo by decorating a shoebox for each animal

Why it’s great: This craft strengthen hand muscles through the squeezing motion of clothespins—exactly what kids need for pencil control! It also teaches planning skills as children decide which animal features to include. The finished clothespin animals become great props for creative play.

Middle Elementary (Ages 8-10)

8. Sock Snakes

A sock snake made by kids.

Materials:

  • Old socks (knee-high works best)
  • Buttons or googly eyes
  • Fabric glue
  • Stuffing or newspaper
  • Ribbon or yarn for tongue
  • Fabric markers or paint

Instructions:

  1. Stuff the sock firmly
  2. Tie off the open end
  3. Use fabric glue to attach buttons or googly eyes
  4. Cut a forked tongue from ribbon
  5. Add patterns with fabric markers or paint
  6. Optional: sew on felt scales for texture

Why it’s great: This project introduces basic sewing concepts if you choose to add stitched elements. Children this age love creating toys they can actually play with, and the personalization options allow for expression of individual style.

Upper Elementary (Ages 10-12)

9. Pom-Pom Critters

A group of pom pom critters as fun animal crafts for kids.

Materials:

  • Yarn in various colors
  • Cardboard pom-pom maker or fork
  • Scissors
  • Felt
  • Glue
  • Googly eyes or buttons

Instructions:

  1. Make pom-poms using a cardboard template or fork method
  2. Trim pom-poms to shape (round for body, smaller ones for head)
  3. Cut small pieces of felt for ears, tails, or wings
  4. Attach parts with glue
  5. Add eyes and other details
  6. Optional: create a habitat from a shoebox

Why it’s great: This project builds patience and nimble fingers while they watch yarn transform into a cute critter! I love seeing how each child develops their own style – from realistic animals to completely imaginary creatures.

10. Recycled Material Bird Feeders

A recycled milk carton crafted as a bird feeder.

Materials:

  • Plastic bottles or milk cartons
  • Craft knife (adult supervision required)
  • Twine or strong string
  • Wooden spoons or dowels
  • Paint
  • Bird seed

Instructions:

  1. Clean containers thoroughly
  2. Cut openings for birds to access seed
  3. Insert wooden spoons or dowels for perches
  4. Paint exterior to look like animals (owls work well with milk cartons!)
  5. Add holes and string for hanging
  6. Fill with bird seed and hang outdoors

Why it’s great: This project combines art with environmental education. Kids learn about local bird species while creating something functional. The planning required to ensure birds can access the seed while keeping it protected from weather builds critical thinking skills.

11. Clay Animal Sculptures

A cute craft in clay representing a cat.

Materials:

  • Air-dry clay
  • Acrylic paint
  • Clear sealer (optional)
  • Toothpicks and craft sticks for detailing
  • Reference photos of animals

Instructions:

  1. Research animal proportions and features
  2. Sketch design before starting with clay
  3. Form basic shapes with clay
  4. Use tools to add details like fur texture, eyes, etc.
  5. Allow to dry completely
  6. Paint with acrylics
  7. Seal if desired

Why it’s great: This project introduces more advanced art concepts like proportion and texture. Working with clay develops hand strength and dexterity while encouraging patience—a skill that’s becoming increasingly valuable in our instant-gratification world.

Tweens (Ages 11-13)

12. Woven Animal Wall Hangings

A woven owl wall hanging.

Materials:

  • Cardboard loom (cut notches in cardboard)
  • Yarn in various colors
  • Large plastic needle
  • Scissors
  • Felt for details
  • Stick or dowel for hanging

Instructions:

  1. Create a simple cardboard loom
  2. Plan animal design (silhouettes work best)
  3. Weave base using basic over/under technique
  4. Add details by weaving in different colors or attaching felt pieces
  5. Remove from loom and hang from stick

Why it’s great: Weaving builds patience and concentration. The rhythmic nature of weaving can be calming for tweens navigating the emotional ups and downs of adolescence. Plus, the finished pieces make beautiful room decorations that reflect their personal style and interests.

13. Mixed Media Animal Masks

A mask of a parrot crafted with cardboard and different colors of tissue paper.

Materials:

  • Cardboard base
  • Various papers (tissue, construction, magazines)
  • Paint
  • Elastic or popsicle sticks
  • Decorative items (feathers, sequins, etc.)
  • Glue or Mod Podge

Instructions:

  1. Cut base mask shape from cardboard
  2. Design animal features (beaks, ears, manes)
  3. Layer materials using collage techniques
  4. Paint and add embellishments
  5. Attach elastic for wearing or stick for holding

Why it’s great: This project encourages self-expression and identity exploration—perfect for the tween years when kids are figuring out who they are. The mixed media approach teaches them to combine materials in innovative ways, building creative problem-solving skills.

Family Projects (All Ages)

14. Rock Painting Menagerie

A set of painted rocks.

Materials:

  • Smooth rocks in various sizes
  • Acrylic paint
  • Paint pens
  • Clear sealer
  • Reference photos of animals

Instructions:

  1. Clean and dry rocks thoroughly
  2. Base coat larger rocks if desired
  3. Paint animals appropriate to each person’s skill level
  4. Add details with paint pens
  5. Seal when completely dry
  6. Display as a family zoo or garden decoration

Why it’s great: This activity lets everyone join in at their own level—young kids can paint simple ladybugs, while older ones try detailed foxes or owls. Rock painting is a fun, easy craft that builds focus and fine motor skills while creating lasting keepsakes for home or garden.

Remember, the joy is in the process, not perfection! These animal crafts create opportunities for conversations about wildlife, recycling, creativity, and so much more. Now, if only cleaning up craft supplies was as fun as making the crafts themselves… but that’s a post for another day!

Looking for more animal-inspired activities? Try these posts:

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